Hospital chart holder



March 7, 1967 A. BENJAMIN I 5 HOSPITAL CHART HOLDER Filed March 19, 1965 INVENTOR THOMAS A BENJAMIN fiawjm ZZZW 9 61 [/11 I20 I30 l6 5 ol ufynu fd [Jig/Lula:

' AT T 'YS United States Patent 3,307,558 HOSPITAL CHART HOLDER Thomas A. Benjamin, Northbrook, Ill., assignor to American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 441,156 8 Claims. (Cl. 129-37) This invention relates to devices for releasably holding papers, charts, and the like, and, more particularly, to clipboard constructions wherein the paper clamping means can be easily locked in an open position, thereby facilitating the insertion, removal, or rearrangement of papers contained therein. This invention is of particular value in the construction of chart or record holders for use in hospitals, clinics, and other institutions.

Conventional hospital clipboards or chart holders are generally constructed of aluminum and have a base, a clamping bar which is held in a clamping relationship with the base by means of a relatively strong spring, and a cover hingedly mounted to the clamping bar. These devices possess numerous disadvantages, not the least of which being that they require awkward manipulation to hold them in an open position when it is desired to insert or remove papers therefrom. Also since the clamping bars in these prior art devices are flat, they have a limited capacity and tend to squeeze out the contents when filled with many sheets of paper. Additionally, being constructed of aluminum, these clipboards are generally unattractive in appearance and capable of staining clothing and other materials with which they come in contact.

The present invention resolves the foregoing problems and disadvantages by providing an attractive clipboard of increased capacity having a novel latching construction enabling the clamping means to be easily locked in an open position. i

The clipboard of the present invention is preferably composed of a plastic material and is provided with a clamping bar shaped to accommodate increased capacity, and a latching mechanism which includes a pair of lugreceiving recesses or slots in the base for releasably locking the clamping bar in an open position. Accordingly,

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved clipboard having a novel locking mechanism for holding the clamping means in an open position thereby facilitating the insertion, removal, and/or rearrangement of papers, charts, and the like, contained therein.

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide an improved clipboard of a plastic material having increased capacity and a novel latching mechanism for locking the clamping bar in an open position.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1 with the cover folded back so 3,307,558 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 that papers contained therein can be read or notations written thereon;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1 with the latching mechanism engaged so that the clamping bar is in an open position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a corner of the clipboard shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 11 generally designates a clipboard of the present invention having a base 12 a clamping bar 13, and a cover 14.

The clipboard 11 may be advantageously composed of .a plastic material that will clean easily and not mark or stain other objects with which it comes into contact. Additionally, since the plastic material has a low noise level when dropped, it renders the clipboard particularly desirable for use in hospitals, clinics and other institutions. High impact polystyrene has been found suitable, although any of a variety of other plastic materials having similar properties of strength, rigidity and durability may be used.

The clamping bar 13 is secured to the base 12 by a hinge arrangement including a hinge pin 15 which is received by alternate annular base and clamping bar members 12a and 13a.

Similarly, the cover 14 is hingedly mounted to the clamping bar 13 by means a series of alternate clamping bar and cover members 1312 and 14b that cooperate to receive a shaft 17, about which the cover 14 pivots.

The annular clamping bar and cover members 13b and 14b are urged into a clamping relationship with the base 12 by a spring 16 coiled around the shaft 15 having one extended terminal portion 16a embracing the clamping bar 13 and another terminal portion 16b embracing a bottom-face 12a of the base 12.

Increased capacity is obtained by shaping the clamping bar so that the ends of the papers secured to the chart holder are not urged in an outward direcion by a lower face portion of the clamping bar 13, as commonly occurs with conventional clipboards which employ flat clamping bars.

In the illustration given, the clamping bar 13 is specifically constructed with a curvate section 13d adjacent the annular members 13a. This curvate section 13d extends into a flat section 13e. When the clamping bar 13 is in a clamped position, as is illustrated by FIG. 2, the flat section 132 slopes downwardly toward the base 12, terminating in the annular hinge members 13b. A particularly effective clamping engagement is obtained with this clamping bar since line contact is maintained between the contents of the clipboard and annular members 13b and 14b, thereby concentrating the force of the spring 16 to produce a greater force per units of clamping area. It is to be understood of course, that the increased capacity feature of this invention is not dependent upon a curvate construction for the clamping bar. It is only necessary that the edges of the papers contained in the clipboard not be urged in an outward direction by reason of their contact with the under-surface of the clamping bar. Accordingly, if desired, a straight portion could be substituted for the curvate section 13d.

The latching mechanism of the present invention includes a pair of latching members 18, rigidly interconnected with the base 12 and spaced on opposite sides adjacent the hinge end thereof. In the illustration given, each of the latching members is formed integrally with the base and is of a disk shape with a slot or lug-receiving recess 19 formed therein. If desired a pair of side cover members 20 can be provided to furnish additional support for the disks 18, and also to prevent dirt and other contaminants from entering the clamping bar area.

A pair of shoulders or latching lugs 21, engageable with the lug-receiving recesses 19, are provided on the cover 14. Each of the latching lugs 21 is positioned so that it will be guided by an arcuate edge portion 18a of the latching member 18 into engagement with its mating lugreceiving recess 19, as is illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4.

-In operation, when it is desired to use the chart, the cover can be lifted and folded back so that the latchinglugs rest on the arcuate edge portions 18a of each of the latching members 18, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. When it is desired to insert, remove, or rearrange papers contained within the clipboard, the operator need merely apply continued pressure on the cover in the direction of rotation, thereby exerting an upward pull on the cover hinge end of the clamping bar with the point of contact between each of the latching-lugs 21 and the latch disks 18 acting as a fulcrum. This upward pull on the cover hinge causes the clamping bar and cover assembly to rotate about the shaft 15, in opposition to the force of the clamping spring 16. As the cover 14 and clamping bar 13 rotate about the hinge 15, the latching-lugs will ride on the latch disks and engage with the lug-receiving recesses 19. The pressure of the clamping spring 16 urges the latching-lugs of the cover 14 to press against the backface of the lug-receiving recesses, thereby preventing the closing of the clamping bar. Accordingly, the clamping bar 13 is maintained in an open position, enabling the operator to insert, remove, or rearrange papers therein. An upward pull on the cover 14 will cause the latching-lugs to disengage with the lug-receiving recesses and permit the clamping spring 16 to force the clamping bar into clamping relationship with the base.

It will be understood that this embodiment of the invention has been used for illustrative purposes only, and that other modifications and variations in the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts hereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clipboard comprising a planar base, an elongated clamping bar having one longitudinal edge portion thereof hingedly connected to one end of said base and having a second longitudinal edge portion normally overlying said base along a line parallel and adjacent to said one end,

spring means urging said second edge portion of said.

clamping bar towards said base for engaging and clamping papers positioned thereon, a substantially rigid cover overlying said base and being hingedly connected to said clamping bar along said second edge portion thereof, a pair of latching members rigidly fixed to said base and disposed adjacent opposite ends of said clamping bar, and a pair of lugs provided by said cover along opposite side edges thereof, said latching members being provided with recesses adapted to receive said lugs and restrain said cover and clamping member against closure under the force of said spring means when said cover has been pivoted backwardly over said clamping bar and said clamping bar has been pivoted to space the second edge portion thereof with respect to said base.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said lugs comprise a pair of shoulders formed in opposite side edges of said cover.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which said latching members are provided with arcuate edges extending between said recesses and said base, said arcuate edges being adapted for sliding engagement by said lugs when said cover is pivoted backwardly a distance sufficient to urge said second edge portion of said clamping bar away from said base.

4. A clipboard comprising a generally rectangular planar base, an elongated clamping bar having one longitudinal edge portion positioned adjacent an end of said base and a downturned second edge portion overlying said base along a line adjacent and parallel to said end, means pivotally connecting said one edge portion of said clamping bar to said end of said base whereby said clamping bar may be selectively moved between a lowered clamp ing position wherein said second edge portion engages said base and an open position wherein said second edge portion is spaced above said base, spring means urging said clamping bar into said clamping position, a substantially rigid cover overlying said base and being hingedly connected to said clamping bar along said second edge portion, whereby said cover may be moved from a closed position overlying said base to an open position extending backwardly over said clamping bar, a pair of latching members rigidly fixed to said base adjacent opposite ends of said clamping bar and being adapted to receive said cover therebetween when said cover and clamping bar are in open positions, said cover being provided along opposite side edges thereof with a pair of shoulders positionable between said latching members when said cover and clamping bar are in open positions, said latching members being engagable with said shoulders of said cover for releasably holding said cover and clamping bar in open positions against the force exerted by said spring means.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said latching members are provided with recesses adapted to receive the shoulder portions of said cover for holding said cover and clamping bar against closure when said cover and clamping bar are in open positions and in surface engagement with each other,'said shoulders being selectively releasable from the recesses of said latching members when the open cover is pivoted out of surface engagement with the open clamping bar.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which said latching members are provided with arcuate edges for engaging and guiding said shoulders into said recesses when said cover and clamping bar are pivoted into open positions.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which said latching members are disk shaped.

8. The structure of claim 4 in which said latching members-and said base are formed integrally of rigid plastic material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 289,658 12/ 18 83 Hoffmann 28144 410,532 9/1889 Carroll et al. 12937 707,234 8/ 1902 Jones 129-37 1,122,628 12/1914 Myers 2466 1,632,459 6/ 1927 Valkenburgh 12937 2,242,893 5/ 1941 Linder 28144 2,302,568 11/1942 Pitt 12937 2,486,253 10/ 1949 Bresler 281-44 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,089,222- 9/ 1954 France.

21,934 1893 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLIPBOARD COMPRISING A PLANAR BASE, AN ELONGATED CLAMPING BAR HAVING ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION THEREOF HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SAID BASE AND HAVING A SECOND LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION NORMALLY OVERLYING SAID BASE ALONG A LINE PARALLEL AND ADJACENT TO SAID ONE END, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID SECOND EDGE PORTION OF SAID CLAMPING BAR TOWARDS SAID BASE FOR ENGAGING AND CLAMPING PAPERS POSITIONED THEREON, A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID COVER OVERLYING SAID BASE AND BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID CLAMPING BAR ALONG SAID SECOND EDGE PORTION THEREOF, A PAIR OF LATCHING MEMBERS RIGIDLY FIXED TO SAID BASE AND DISPOSED ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CLAMPING BAR, AND A PAIR OF LUGS PROVIDED BY SAID COVER ALONG OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES THEREOF, SAID LATCHING MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH RECESSES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID LUGS AND RESTRAIN SAID COVER AND CLAMPING MEMBER AGAINST CLOSURE UNDER THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS WWHEN SAID COVER HAS BEEN PIVOTED BACKWARDLY OVER SAID CLAMPING BAR AND SAID CLAMPING BAR HAS BEEN PIVOTED TO SPACE THE SECOND EDGE PORTION THEREOF WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE. 